The Gift

"Old sir, you jest..."

Fang Yuan shook his head. "In a great lineage, conflicting interests always leave some people dissatisfied!"

"Layman, that is truly a maxim of profound wisdom!"

Zhou Tong was taken aback. He had never expected Fang Yuan to be so perceptive about human affairs, so seasoned and open-minded. In every way, he seemed nothing like a youth.

"You didn't come to see me for this, did you, Old Sir?"

Fang Yuan blew the White Qi from his teacup and looked at Zhou Tong, his expression somewhere between a smile and a smirk.

"I won't hide it from you!"

Seeing this, Zhou Tong made no effort to conceal his intentions. "I'm planning to return to Qingye City today."

"Oh? Why is that?"

Fang Yuan had already guessed the reason, but his face showed a trace of confusion.

"I received word this morning that a major crime has taken place in Qingye City... Elder Song's beloved son, Song Yujie, and an Outer Sect Disciple responsible for procurement were both killed in the city. The culprit even set their home ablaze!"

"Hiss..."

Fang Yuan looked extremely "shocked." "What a vicious fiend! Who could have done such a thing?"

"I don't know. In any case, with his only son dead, Elder Song is bound to go mad. All of Qingye City will be rocked to its foundations..."

Zhou Tong shook his head. Fang Yuan was too good an actor, and besides, Zhou Tong had never suspected him of anything. He had no idea that the vicious fiend was sitting right in front of him.

But Fang Yuan caught a trace of well-concealed glee in his eyes. It seemed he and Song Zhong really belonged to opposing factions; each was delighted to see the other suffer.

"If that's the case, I won't keep you, Old Sir Zhou!"

Fang Yuan lifted his teacup and spoke with a smile.

"Not at all, not at all!"

Zhou Tong's old face flushed with embarrassment. Fang Yuan had already raised his cup to see him off, yet he was still shamelessly lingering instead of leaving. It really was rather unsightly.

But he had no choice. He truly needed to ask Fang Yuan for something.

After glancing around, Zhou Tong gritted his teeth and abruptly dropped to one knee, bowing deeply. "Layman, I will never forget your life-saving kindness. But I have another matter I must ask of you. I beg you, please don't refuse!"

"If it's an imposition, why ask at all?"

Fang Yuan took a small sip of tea. Zhou Tong nearly choked on the spot, almost unable to draw another breath.

At last, he understood: this Layman, capable of miraculous healing and all manner of wonders, was actually indifferent to the extreme.

Unfortunately, Zhou Tong had no choice but to ask for his help.

Song Zhong, whose son had died, was a complete madman!

Zhou Tong feared that as soon as he stepped outside, he might get caught up in the chaos—or even be killed outright!

Although he and Song Zhong belonged to the same sect, they had previously been part of rival factions, and had never openly fallen out.

But at a time like this, he didn't dare judge Song Zhong by the standards of a normal person.

Fang Yuan's response, while a little excessive, was still within his expectations.

After all, Fang Yuan wasn't his father, and Zhou Tong had done nothing to earn such extraordinary help beyond being saved from death. Why should Fang Yuan keep helping him?

Zhou Tong took a deep breath and finally played his trump card. "I hear you're interested in martial arts? You once traded a Red Ginseng for three martial arts manuals. What if I had something better?"

"Hmm?"

Fang Yuan's interest was piqued. He gave a slight wave of his right hand. "Get up and speak."

"Mm?"

Feeling the tremendous force that made him rise to his feet against his will, Zhou Tong couldn't help showing a trace of surprise.

"This..."

He was an accomplished martial artist who had broken through the fifth gate, Jing Gate. Otherwise, he would never have secured the position of Outer Sect Steward of the Gui Ling Sect. Even though he had only just recovered from a serious illness, his martial arts were no trifling matter.

For Fang Yuan to make him stand with one hand, leaving him utterly powerless to resist, was no sign of someone with no martial arts at all.

"Stones from other mountains may serve to polish jade. I'm indeed interested in some higher-level martial arts."

Fang Yuan made no attempt to deny it.

After all, to break through Harm Gate in the future, he would need more advanced martial arts techniques.

"But... surely you aren't planning to give me a manual from the Gui Ling Sect, Old Master Zhou? I'd have to decline. Not everyone wants to provoke the Gui Ling Sect and be hunted down without end!"

Fang Yuan smiled slightly, his expression playful.

"How could that be? Even if you gave Old Zhou eight heads, he wouldn't dare bring such harm upon himself and others!"

Zhou Tong hurriedly waved both hands and took a thread-bound manual from his robes. "This Iron Cloth Shirt manual came into my hands by chance when I was young. It has absolutely no hidden dangers, and it can be combined with Eagle Claw Skill to form Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt. Our sect's Outer Sect Steward, Cold-faced Iron Eagle Yu Qiuleng, is skilled in this technique and renowned throughout the commandery..."

"I see!"

Fang Yuan nodded, immediately recalling the martial artist who had accompanied Steward Lin when he came to break off the engagement.

He hadn't thought much of him at the time, but now that he thought it over carefully, he realized the man had been far superior to Zhou Tong in both status and martial arts.

As for Eagle Claw Skill, it was even more widely circulated than Black Sand Palm, with numerous branches.

For example, Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt, which focused on the defensive power of Iron Cloth Shirt's qi cultivation; Great Strength Eagle Claw Skill, which focused on attack and increased strength; and the unorthodox Flame Claw Hand and Icy Eagle Claw... By now, even the founder, if brought back to life, would be utterly bewildered by the sheer number of branches.

Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt was like Hard Qi Skill, focusing on defense while also offering Eagle Claw attacks. It was the very picture of offense and defense in one!

Fang Yuan was rather pleased with it.

Although Eagle Claw Iron Cloth Shirt seemed like a common technique, disciples in the various sects were only permitted to practice it after passing an examination and becoming Inner Sect Disciples.

Fang Yuan pondered for a moment but didn't immediately accept the manual. Instead, he gave Zhou Tong a meaningful glance. "A gift to someone always comes with a request. What is it you want, Mr. Zhou?"

At his words, an embarrassed expression flickered across Zhou Tong's face, gone in an instant. "Little Layman, you saved my life. Forget a mere manual—even if I had to climb a mountain of blades or descend into a sea of fire, I wouldn't so much as furrow my brow. But the situation outside is treacherous and unpredictable, so I can only swallow my pride and ask you for one thing..."

He asked solemnly, "What do you think of my daughter, Wenxin?"

"Uh..."

Fang Yuan rolled his eyes. For a moment, he'd thought this shameless old man was planning to win him over by putting his daughter in his bed.

"She's... very lively..."

After a long, speechless pause, he finally managed to come up with a description.

"That's good!"

Zhou Tong let out a long breath of relief. "To be honest, my daughter is unruly, and I really can't discipline her. Why not take her as your disciple, Layman?"

"No!"

Fang Yuan immediately shook his head. "What have I done to deserve to be your daughter's master? Please find someone else."

He didn't want to be saddled with a troublesome girl. At the same time, he couldn't help admiring Zhou Tong's shamelessness. To come out and ask for something like this—he really was invincible.

After all, Zhou Wenxin might even be a little older than him.

"Won't you at least think about it?"

Zhou Tong looked disappointed.

He had spent the entire night carefully considering the matter before the idea had suddenly struck him: he should have his daughter become Fang Yuan's disciple.

It was a plan that killed several birds with one stone. First, it could win over Fang Yuan, this mysterious "expert." Second, even if nothing else came of it, his daughter would at least enjoy Fang Yuan's protection. Besides, regardless of Fang Yuan's martial arts or whether he had mastered other skills, if she learned even a fraction of his Medical Skill, she would be able to make a living in the future.

Unfortunately, no matter how carefully he had calculated everything, he hadn't accounted for the fact that his daughter and the Layman before him had already met.

"I've never had any intention of taking on disciples. Please take this back, sir!"

Fang Yuan pushed the manual toward him.

He didn't want that unruly young lady at his side, creating trouble. Though the girl looked rather pretty when dressed up, and his master had ordered him, so a disciple had no choice but to obey... The thought of taking her in hand seemed rather appealing, too... Ahem... He was getting carried away...

"Alas, it seems my daughter isn't blessed enough! But please, Layman, don't refuse this manual, whatever you do. Otherwise, I'll be so ashamed I won't know where to hide my face..."

Zhou Tong sighed deeply.

"In that case, thank you..."

Fang Yuan was genuinely interested in the manual. Besides, he had just saved Zhou Tong's life, so accepting payment was only right. Since Zhou Tong was so insistent, he accepted it.

What he never could have imagined was that the old man's scruples had sunk to an appalling low!

As soon as Fang Yuan accepted the manual, Zhou Tong's face lit up with a smile. He glanced around again. "It's clear you live a frugal life, Layman, secluded in the mountains without anyone to wait on you. I'll make the arrangements and send you a servant girl to sweep and tidy up!"

"Is that really necessary?"

Fang Yuan refused. He had too many secrets. Keeping someone close to him in Hidden Valley would be like asking for them to be exposed.

At least until he had the strength to protect them, he needed to keep the things that had to remain secret under wraps.

"That's settled!"

To his surprise, Zhou Tong waved a large hand. "This is also what your Uncle Lin wants. Don't worry, I've already given that servant girl a good scolding. You can beat her or curse at her all you like; it doesn't matter!"

He seemed afraid Fang Yuan would refuse, so he immediately got up and left, heading outside Hidden Valley.

Only then did Fang Yuan notice that the large group waiting outside had already begun striking camp, looking ready to leave at any moment.

"I'll take my leave!"

Zhou Tong bowed solemnly and waved his hand. The Zhou family members followed him away in a great throng.

"Alas... Nephew..."

Lin Benchu walked at the very back. There was a hint of regret in his gaze as he looked at Fang Yuan. "Besides Lei Yue, I had a few other daughters... What a pity, what a pity... Alas, what can be done..."

"What's going on?"

Fang Yuan was completely baffled. Then he noticed that, indeed, a delicate figure had been left behind the large group.

"Eldest Daughter Zhou?"

He looked over and saw Zhou Wenxin's eyes, red and swollen like walnuts, as if she had just been crying bitterly. Her face was full of grievance.

"What's wrong?"

Zhou Wenxin looked on the verge of tears. She curtsied to Fang Yuan. "Y-Your servant greets you, Young Master!"

"Damn it!"

Fang Yuan's eyes widened. He had gained a whole new appreciation for Zhou Tong's shamelessness—and now understood why Steward Lin had worn such a strange expression before leaving.

So Zhou Tong had failed to give his daughter away as a disciple, and simply ignored everything else, slapped the title of servant girl on her, and sent Zhou Wenxin to Fang Yuan!

"Unbelievable!"

Looking at the aggrieved Eldest Daughter Zhou beside him, Fang Yuan suddenly felt his head swell to twice its size.